New candidates shake up city council, mayor's race

Published: Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 2:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 2:47 p.m.

Hendersonville politics got a little more interesting Thursday, as City Councilman Ron Stephens and retired District Court Judge Stephen F. Franks filed to challenge Mayor Barbara Volk for her post. Meanwhile, three more candidates filed for city council this week, bringing the field to eight.

Combined with businessman Jeff Miller's decision Tuesday to run for council instead of mayor, the entry of Guri Andermann, Bonnie Wilson and Lynda Erwin into the council race guarantees Hendersonville will hold a primary Oct. 8 to determine which four top vote-getters will be on Nov. 5's ballot.

The deadline for filing for municipal elections is noon Friday.

Stephens, who still has two years left on his second term, said Miller's decision to run for council instead of mayor factored heavily into his decision to challenge Volk.

"Jeff and I are obviously running different campaigns, but we agree on many things," Stephens said. "I supported him when he ran for Congress and I support his work for veterans. If he had run for mayor, I certainly would've supported him. But when he decided to run for council instead, I decided I would run."

While emphasizing that he has no personal beef with Volk, Stephens said "philosophically, she and I disagree on a lot." He cited the amount of money allotted to downtown improvements — "there's been too much spent" — and the need to delay improvements at Berkeley Park, a project Volk has championed.

"We need to wait awhile until we catch up on our spending," Stephens said, citing more pressing needs like a new fire station and fire engine. He added that if voters asked his opinion on a likely November bond referendum to pay for $6 million in city park upgrades, he would urge them to vote no.

Currently a broker at Beverly-Hanks and Associates, Stephens came to Hendersonville in 1996 as project director and president of the Champion Hills development. He said his 30 years of business experience, combined with his "hands-on knowledge of how the city works," qualifies him to be mayor in the current economic climate.

Stephens sees the area undergoing a "New Golden Age," thanks in part to Sierra Nevada, Wingate University and the city's historic downtown. Managing that growth so that it benefits both businesses and residents is the key role of government, he said.

"To do this, we need to ensure that government spending is under control, that the cost of doing business is reasonable, and that any restrictions that are imposed are well thought out and necessary for the public good," Stephens said.

If elected mayor, council would have to appoint Stephens' replacement for his at-large position.

Franks, 82, is a retired District Court judge. Calls to his office and cell phone were not returned late Thursday.

Wilson and Erwin are across-the-street neighbors on Woodfield Lane in the Henderson Village development off U.S. Highway 191, according to Board of Elections records. They also could not be reached about their candidacies Thursday.

Andermann, who grew up in Colorado, retired to Hendersonville in 2004 after serving in the U.S. Army as an electronics technician and later as a paralegal within several branches of government. She has served on a city committee headed by Volk that looked at "greening up" the city, as well as an Environmental and Conservation Organization committee focused on "green infrastructure."

"I'm very interested in preserving our natural heritage and the beauty we have here," Andermann said.

She cited several issues that "the mayor and council probably should have addressed earlier." Downtown parking has "become a real problem," she said, and "Seventh Avenue isn't receiving enough attention." The latter has the potential to extend the economic success of Main Street and grow more local jobs, Andermann said.

Quality of life here is very high, she said, "but a couple of things are holding us back from having more people and businesses move here." She agrees with Miller that the city should be more business-friendly. And she believes that the city's animal welfare laws — including existing codes that are "too vague" — need addressing.

"I think it's time we join the 21st century and follow the lead of some of these counties and cities all around us, who have made unsupervised tethering against the law," Andermann said.

Councilman Jerry Smith announced he was running for re-election June 28, but he was out of town and couldn't file until July 15. Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Collis and former Councilman Ralph Freeman committed on the first day of filing July 5, followed shortly afterward by former Councilwoman Diane Caldwell.

Jeffress Road resident Billy Johnston has joined the contest for the District 2 seat on Mills River Town Council, which is being vacated by Mayor Pro Tem Lois Pryor when her term ends. Johnston will run against James Cantrell, who filed Tuesday.

District 3 Councilman Shanon Gonce also filed for re-election on Mills River's council Thursday. He joins District 1 Councilman Larry Freeman, who announced he is seeking a second term.

<p>Hendersonville politics got a little more interesting Thursday, as City Councilman Ron Stephens and retired District Court Judge Stephen F. Franks filed to challenge Mayor Barbara Volk for her post. Meanwhile, three more candidates filed for city council this week, bringing the field to eight.</p><p>Combined with businessman Jeff Miller's decision Tuesday to run for council instead of mayor, the entry of Guri Andermann, Bonnie Wilson and Lynda Erwin into the council race guarantees Hendersonville will hold a primary Oct. 8 to determine which four top vote-getters will be on Nov. 5's ballot.</p><p>The deadline for filing for municipal elections is noon Friday. </p><p>Stephens, who still has two years left on his second term, said Miller's decision to run for council instead of mayor factored heavily into his decision to challenge Volk.</p><p>"Jeff and I are obviously running different campaigns, but we agree on many things," Stephens said. "I supported him when he ran for Congress and I support his work for veterans. If he had run for mayor, I certainly would've supported him. But when he decided to run for council instead, I decided I would run."</p><p>While emphasizing that he has no personal beef with Volk, Stephens said "philosophically, she and I disagree on a lot." He cited the amount of money allotted to downtown improvements — "there's been too much spent" — and the need to delay improvements at Berkeley Park, a project Volk has championed.</p><p>"We need to wait awhile until we catch up on our spending," Stephens said, citing more pressing needs like a new fire station and fire engine. He added that if voters asked his opinion on a likely November bond referendum to pay for $6 million in city park upgrades, he would urge them to vote no.</p><p>Currently a broker at Beverly-Hanks and Associates, Stephens came to Hendersonville in 1996 as project director and president of the Champion Hills development. He said his 30 years of business experience, combined with his "hands-on knowledge of how the city works," qualifies him to be mayor in the current economic climate.</p><p>Stephens sees the area undergoing a "New Golden Age," thanks in part to Sierra Nevada, Wingate University and the city's historic downtown. Managing that growth so that it benefits both businesses and residents is the key role of government, he said.</p><p>"To do this, we need to ensure that government spending is under control, that the cost of doing business is reasonable, and that any restrictions that are imposed are well thought out and necessary for the public good," Stephens said.</p><p>If elected mayor, council would have to appoint Stephens' replacement for his at-large position. </p><p>Franks, 82, is a retired District Court judge. Calls to his office and cell phone were not returned late Thursday. </p><p>Wilson and Erwin are across-the-street neighbors on Woodfield Lane in the Henderson Village development off U.S. Highway 191, according to Board of Elections records. They also could not be reached about their candidacies Thursday.</p><p>Andermann, who grew up in Colorado, retired to Hendersonville in 2004 after serving in the U.S. Army as an electronics technician and later as a paralegal within several branches of government. She has served on a city committee headed by Volk that looked at "greening up" the city, as well as an Environmental and Conservation Organization committee focused on "green infrastructure."</p><p>"I'm very interested in preserving our natural heritage and the beauty we have here," Andermann said. </p><p>She cited several issues that "the mayor and council probably should have addressed earlier." Downtown parking has "become a real problem," she said, and "Seventh Avenue isn't receiving enough attention." The latter has the potential to extend the economic success of Main Street and grow more local jobs, Andermann said.</p><p>Quality of life here is very high, she said, "but a couple of things are holding us back from having more people and businesses move here." She agrees with Miller that the city should be more business-friendly. And she believes that the city's animal welfare laws — including existing codes that are "too vague" — need addressing. </p><p>"I think it's time we join the 21st century and follow the lead of some of these counties and cities all around us, who have made unsupervised tethering against the law," Andermann said.</p><p>Councilman Jerry Smith announced he was running for re-election June 28, but he was out of town and couldn't file until July 15. Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Collis and former Councilman Ralph Freeman committed on the first day of filing July 5, followed shortly afterward by former Councilwoman Diane Caldwell. </p><p>Jeffress Road resident Billy Johnston has joined the contest for the District 2 seat on Mills River Town Council, which is being vacated by Mayor Pro Tem Lois Pryor when her term ends. Johnston will run against James Cantrell, who filed Tuesday. </p><p>District 3 Councilman Shanon Gonce also filed for re-election on Mills River's council Thursday. He joins District 1 Councilman Larry Freeman, who announced he is seeking a second term. </p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>